title: Frequency format diagram and probability chart for breast cancer risk communication: a prospective, randomized trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Breast cancer risk education enables women make informed decisions regarding their options for screening and risk reduction. We aimed to determine whether patient education regarding breast cancer risk using a bar graph, with or without a frequency format diagram, improved the accuracy of risk perception.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a prospective, randomized trial among women at increased risk for breast cancer. The main outcome measurement was patients' estimation of their breast cancer risk before and after education with a bar graph (BG group) or bar graph plus a frequency format diagram (BG+FF group), which was assessed by previsit and postvisit questionnaires.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 150 women in the study, 74 were assigned to the BG group and 76 to the BG+FF group. Overall, 72% of women overestimated their risk of breast cancer. The improvement in accuracy of risk perception from the previsit to the postvisit questionnaire (BG group, 19% to 61%; BG+FF group, 13% to 67%) was not significantly different between the 2 groups (P = .10). Among women who inaccurately perceived very high risk (> or = 50% risk), inaccurate risk perception decreased significantly in the BG+FF group (22% to 3%) compared with the BG group (28% to 19%) (P = .004).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Breast cancer risk communication using a bar graph plus a frequency format diagram can improve the short-term accuracy of risk perception among women perceiving inaccurately high risk.
authors.affiliation: Breast Diagnostic Clinic, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA. ghosh.karthik@mayo.edu
authors.forename: Karthik
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ghosh
authors.forename: Brianna J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Crawford
authors.forename: Sandhya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pruthi
authors.forename: Constance I
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Lonzetta
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Neal
authors.forename: Nicole P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Sandhu
authors.forename: Ruth E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Dietlind
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wahner-Roedler
authors.forename: Marcia K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Britain
authors.forename: Stephen S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Cha
authors.forename: Amit K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Ghosh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D013664:Teaching Materials